Device for attaching wooden heels



Feb. 21, 1938. A BRAUER ET AL 1,898,288

DEVICE FOR ATTACHING WOODEN 'HEELS Filed March l1, 1951 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFE .ARTHUR J. BRAUER AND FREDERCK VIt?. WAGNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI DEVICE FOR ATTACHING WOODEN HEELS Application filed March 4,

This invention relates generally to the manufacture of shoes, and particularly to a device for temporarily attaching wooden p heels in position during the manufacture oi the shoe.

In the manufacture of shoes, and especially those which are provided with wooden heels, it is the usual practice that the heel be sekcured by means of cement to the heel seat which is provided usually as a part of the outer sole. During the time in which the cement is setting, it is necessary, however, to securely clamp the wooden heel in its alined position on the heel seat. Various devices have heretofore been used for accomplishing this result. The device most commonly-in use is perhaps a screw, which extends through an opening in the heel part of the last, having a pointed end in engagement with the wooden heel and a suitable shoulder engaging the top of the heel part of the last, so that a clamping action results. Withthe use of devices of this sort, however, it is necessary to pre liminarily drill the wooden heel for a sulii- 'cient depth to receive the securing screw, so as to prevent splitting oi thevheel upon the application ci the screw. The devices which have heretofore been in use possess the fur* vtier disadvantage oi being entirely separate "from the last so that it has been necessary for an operator to arrange the screw in the hole provided in the heel part oi" the vlast before he proceeded to drive it home, in or- ,A der to clamp the heel in position. In the l'manufacture ot shoes on a large scale, where it is the duty of a single operator to do nothing more than cement 'and clamp wooden heels in position, it is apparent that the amount of time consumed 'by the operator 40 vin drilling the wooden heel for the reception ot the clamping screw, as well as the time consumed by the operator in selecting and inserting a screw of appropriate length :tor a particular job, is immense, and it is accordingly an object oi this invention to provide a device for temporarily securing wooden heels in position while the cement is setting which will eliminate the two'aforesaid steps.

The object of this invention, generally 1931. Serial, No. 520,029.

stated, is to provide a device tor temporarily securing a wooden heel in position while the cement is setting.

A further object of this invention is to provide a temporary heel-securing device which Vis permanently mounted upon a last.

A 'further object of this invention is to provide a device Jfor temporarily securing heels which is normally concealed by the last and projectible to engage a wooden heel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for attaching` wooden heels which will not necessitate preliminary drilling ot the heel.

V,Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a last shown partly in section to reveal the heelattaching'device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view partly in section of the heel part of a last having a shoe and wooden heel mounted thereupon; and i" Figure 3 isadetail view illustrating the component parts of the heel-attaching` device constructed in accordance with this invention.

In accordance with this invention, the heel part ot the usual last is provided with bore extending therethrough, which has mounted therein a suitable device tor attaching and clamping a wooden heel in position upon the last. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the heel-attaching device is resiliently mounted within the bore and is normally biased in such a direction that the wood heel-engaging part is retracted into the bore and thus concealed by the last and so an unobstructed heel surface exists. With such an arrangement,' the inner and outer soles and the upper are applied and lasted in the usual way, the heel seat is formed to tit the heel and coating of cement applied to the heel and heel seat, as is the usual practice. The heel may t en be placed in alinement upon the heel seat and a suitable tool inserted in the opening in the heel part of the last to force the heel-attaching device outwardly from the bore, and if, as in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the attaching device is in the nature ot a screw, the projecting tool will preferably also impart to the attaching device a turning movement. With a device ot this character, and especially since the heel-attaching device is, when not engaged with a heel, retracted into the bore in e heel part ot the last so that it will not be subject to be struck by other objects and thus dull the threads` it becomes possible to form the .screw threads of the attaching` member in such a way that they are sufficientlyv sharp to perform not only the securing and clamping function, but also to cut their waf,T into the wooden heel, thereby eliminating the necessity ot the preliminary boring operation.

Referring now particularly to the drawing` the usual last is shown provided with a, heel part 1 having the usual thimble 2 for the reception of a acl: post. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the last is provided with a suitable metallic plL te 3 extending across the bottom thereot aA l secured in poc sition by any suitable dev ce, such as, for instance, the screws i. The construction just described is in accordance with the usual last construction, and it will he understood that the following description will set forth a method whereby,y the usual may be modified by the application ot the heel-attaching device constructed in accordance with this invention.

In order to prepare the usual lastftor the reception oiE a heel-a `tachingl device constrncted in accordance with this invention, the heel plate 3 ill iirst be removed fron the heel part 1 ot the last. After the heel plate is removed a bore 5 may be drilled into the heel. part exten ling substantially in the same direction the airis ot the wooden heel seated upon the lastwould extend. As shown in Figure 1, the bore 5 does not eX- tend for the tull distance through the heel parl ot the last, but that a counter bore G ot smaller diameter is provided Aear the top part ot the last, thus forming a sl'ioulder .7 for a purpose to be later described. The heel part ot the last is now prepared to receive the heel-attaching device constructed in accordance with this invention.

A heel-attaching device constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a screw member 8 having a substantially long shank 9 and a head 11 provided with any suitable arrangement for cooperating with a driving tool. It is to he understood that any suitable type ot head 11 may be provided according to the de,V es of the users. The threaded part 1Q of the screw S is .in accordance with this invention extremely slender, and the threads thereof are highly sharpened. A tubular mounting member 13 having an external diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the bore 5, is provided 'for mounting the screw 8 Within thc bore 5. The mounting member 3 is provided on the interior thereof with an inward ly extending shoulder 14, shown clearly in Figure 2, against which a coil spring 15 is seated. The coil spring 15 surrounds the shank 9 of the screw 8, and at its other end is seated against the head 11 ot the screw. It is thus apparent that the spring 15 operates to bias the head of the screw 3 in an axial direction and away from the shoulder 1d. The organization including the mounting member 13, the screw 3 and the spring 15 is applied a unit to the bore and the heel plate 3 may be then placed in position in order to secure the heel-attaching organization within the bore 5. It will be noted that the end of the mounting member 13, which is to abut against the heel plate 3, is inclined to the axis thereof, so that an even bearing face parallel to the surface of the heel plae 3 is provided.

lWhen the device is assembled and the heel plate 3 is secured in position, it is apparent that the spring 15 will operate to bias the screw 3 axially within the bore 5, so that the head 11 engages the shoulder .7 and the threaded part 1Q of the screw is at this time concealed within the confines of the bore 5, so tha `he sharp thro.. thereoi` are not subject to injury by contact with other objects. The heel plate 3 is provided with a suitable openi a' 1G to permit the threaded part ot the screw S to pass therethrough.

When the heel seat of the shoe has been prepared for the reception of the heel and the preliminary operations completed, a wooden heel such as 17, is placed in position upon the heel seat 13 of the shoe, in which the having a heel part 1 is mounted and a suitable tool such as 19, inserted into the bore G to engage the head 11 of screw 8. Sniiicient torce is applied through the tool 19 to torce the screw 8 against action ot spring 15, and thus to cause the threaded part 12 ot the screw 8 to project outwardly through the opening 1G in the heel plate 3 and into engagement with the heel 17, as illustrated in the dotted lines of Figure 2. Vilhen the screw 8 has been driven into engagement with the heel 17, it is aL parent that a positive clamping engagement is present to maintain the heel 17 in its proper alinement upon the last and upon the heel seat 1S, while the cement is setting; it being apparent that the clamping force is transmitted through the screw 8 and spring 15 to the mounting member 13, and it is thus sustained by the heel plate 3.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the heel-attaching device of this invention may be used without preliminarilj.v boring the heel and that the heel-attaching organization is permanently carried in the heel of the particular last with which it is Csi used, thereby eliminating the time heretofore consumed by a Workman in selecting a screw 'of the proper length for the particular last, as Well as the time consumed by the Workman in preliminarily drilling the heel for the reception of the screw.

It Will, therefore, be seen that in accordance With this invention a last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and having a heel part, has a device permanently associated with the heel part, this device having an operative anchoring element constructed and arranged to engage and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last. This operative anchoring element is not only projectable through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, but this element, as previously stated, is so constructed and arranged as to secure an anchoring hold in the heel. This is accomplished in accordance With the embodiment described by so arranging the anchoring elements as to be substantially unrestrained in order to permit it to enter and become anchored in the heel. As described, a yielding abutment is provided in the form of a spring 15 which, While it is adapted to permit the anchoring element to enter and become anchored in the heel, nevertheless permits this anchoring element Without substantial restraint to enter the heel and become anchored therein. As this spring, however, becomes tensioned, it will serve to hold the anchoring element under tension so as to inally clamp the heel against the shoe.

It is apparent that many modifications of this invention will present themselves to those skilled in the art which Will not depart from the spirit thereof; accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that lthe invention is not limited to the specitic details of construction hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but that the foregoing description is merely an exempliiication of a preferred embodiment and that such modifications thereof as do not depart from the spirit of this invention are contemplated by and Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated vvith said heel part, said device having an operation anchoring elementconstructed and arranged to engage and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

2. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated With said heel part, including an operative anchoring element projectable through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into thev heel, Vsaid element being constructed and arranged'to becomexanchore'd in the heel so as po clamp the heel against the shoe While on the ast.

3; A last adapted to `receive a soled shoe for application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated With said heel part, saidv device having an operative anchoring "element constructed and arranged to .engage and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last, said device having a tool engageable part formed to secure its manipulation.

4i. A last adapted toreceive a soled kshoe for the application of aheel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated with and contained Within said heel part, including an operative anchoring element proj ectable through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, said element being constructed and arranged to become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe AWhile on the'last.

5. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of `a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated with and contained Within said heel part, including an operative anchoring element provided With a tool engageable part and an anchoring part which is projectable through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, said element being constructed and arranged to become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

6. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and 'having a heel part, and a device permanently associated With said heel part, including an operative anchoring element projectible through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, said element being substantially unrestrained to enter and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

7 A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated With said heel part, including an operative anchoring element projectible through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, said element being substantially unrestrained to enter and become anchored in the heel, and an abutment for retaining said elementin anchoring relation While in the heel, so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

8. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated with said heel part, including an operative anchoring element projectable through the last bottom and the sole thereon and into the heel, and ayielding abutment adapted to permit said element to enter and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

9. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe 5 for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated with said heel part, including a screw operatively projectable through the last bottoni and the sole thereon and into the heel, 10 said element being substantially unrestrained to enter and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last.

10. A last adapted to receive a soled shoe 15 for the application of a heel and having a heel part, and a device permanently associated with said heel part, including a screw operatively proj ectalole through the last bottoni and the sole thereon and into the heel, and E0 a spring adapted to permit said screw to enter and become anchored in the heel so as to clamp the heel against the shoe While on the last. N In testimony whereof, We ailix our signat tures this 19th day of February, 1931.

ARTHUR J. BRAUER. FREDERICK P. WAGNER. 

